All Labor Gained New Dignity

All la­bor gained new dig­ni­ty

Since He who all cre­ation made

Toiled with His hands for dai­ly bread

Right man­ful­ly.

No work is com­mon­place

if all

Be done as un­to Him alone;

Life’s simp­lest toil to Him is known

Who know­eth all.

Each small­est com­mon thing He makes

Serves Him with its mi­nut­est part;

Man on­ly

with his wan­der­ing heart

His way for­sakes.

His ser­vice is life’s high­est joy

It yields fair fruit a hun­dred­fold;

Be this our pray­er—Not fame

nor gold

But—Thine emp­loy!